Apple outlined several of iOS 8's major features during yesterday's WWDC keynote, but with the operating system now in the hands of developers, details on several lesser known features have been leaking out.

One new feature sees the iPhone displaying apps on the lock screen based on location. For example, MacRumors readers have seen relevant app icons pop up while at or near brick and mortar locations like Starbucks and the Apple Store. While at a Starbucks, for example, the Starbucks app icon is displayed in the lower left corner of the iPhone's lock screen, which allows the Starbucks app to be easily accessed.

This feature isn't limited to Apple's own stores or to major retailers, either, as one Twitter user has also seen an app for a train station on the lock screen while at that particular location.

Displaying location-based apps on the lock screen is particularly useful at Starbucks and the Apple Store as both locations allow users to make purchases using their iOS devices. In fact, a common theme between the apps that have demonstrated this functionality is a specific on-site function like the ability to make a purchase or display a ticket.

It is not clear how this feature works, or which apps are compatible at this point, but the iOS 8 release notes mention the location based apps as a facet of Location Services. "When Location Services is turned on, the device's current location is used to recommend relevant apps on the lock screen." Based on the description of the feature, it appears to work through both the App Store and physical location and will eventually be able to be turned off by turning off location services for the App Store.

As we approach the public release of iOS 8, it's likely we'll hear more about this new location-based alert feature. iOS 8 is expected to be available to the public in the fall, following a developer-oriented beta testing period.

(Thanks, Kyle!)

Update 11:55 PM PT: It appears that Apple will also suggest apps that are not installed when visiting certain locations. For example, a Twitter user who did not have the Costco app installed had a Costco app icon pop up when at local Costco, which took him to the App Store where he could download the app. He was not able to access the rest of the App Store after tapping the icon; only the Costco app was available.

Apple outlined several of iOS 8's major features during yesterday's WWDC keynote, but with the operating system now in the hands of developers, details on several lesser known features have been leaking out.

One new feature sees the iPhone displaying apps on the lock screen based on location. For example, MacRumors readers have seen relevant app icons pop up while at or near brick and mortar locations like Starbucks and the Apple Store. While at a Starbucks, for example, the Starbucks app icon is displayed in the lower left corner of the iPhone's lock screen, which allows a Starbucks Passbook card to be easily accessed.

This feature isn't limited to Apple's own stores or to major retailers, either, as one Twitter user has also seen an app for a train station on the lock screen while at that particular location.

Displaying location-based apps on the lock screen is particularly useful at Starbucks and the Apple Store as both locations allow users to make purchases using their iOS devices. In fact, a common theme between the apps that have demonstrated this functionality is a specific on-site function like the ability to make a purchase or display a ticket.

It is not clear how this feature works, or which apps are compatible at this point, but the iOS 8 release notes mention the location based apps as a facet of Location Services. "When Location Services is turned on, the device's current location is used to recommend relevant apps on the lock screen." Based on the description of the feature, it appears to work through both the App Store and physical location and will eventually be able to be turned off by turning off location services for the App Store.

As we approach the public release of iOS 8, it's likely we'll hear more about this new location-based alert feature. iOS 8 is expected to be available to the public in the fall, following a developer-oriented beta testing period.

Gotta say, one thing Apple should do is get rid of those dots and go back to the small vertical lines. It takes up too much space and also get rid of the network name up there too. You know what network you are on. It takes up too much space as well.
Now i say that so you can see notification icons better and get more of them but i dont know if iOS allows that many as Android does. I just think it is ridiculous to have the network name up there.

I saw this today and took a screenshot at lunch. I was at Chipotle actually, but it's next to Chop't, so that's the icon that showed up. I would suspect that it's using the same location aware API and Apple has just added a call for the icon on the home screen. Definitely a great feature though!

Is there a way to turn this off without killing location services for the app? I want my apps to be able to access my location only when I say so, not continually in the background. And the last thing on earth I want is for apps to be able to spontaneously advertise their products on my launch screen. Yeech.

(Again, you don't have to agree with me, if you like advertunities. Just give us the option to disable them without crippling the app or the phone with such crude measures as turning off location services altogether.)

Is there a way to turn this off without killing location services for the app? I want my apps to be able to access my location only when I say so, not continually in the background. And the last thing on earth I want is for apps to be able to spontaneously advertise their products on my launch screen. Yeech.

(Again, you don't have to agree with me, if you like advertunities. Just give us the option to disable them without crippling the app or the phone with such crude measures as turning off location services altogether.)

I wasn't aware an app icon was advertising. It's not like it's taking up your whole lock screen.

__________________"Terrorism is horrible and must be stopped. All of us must do everything we can do to stop this craziness. These people shouldn't exist. They should be eliminated." Tim Cook 

This will be awesome for Starbucks! I always hate my phone auto-locking when i am in the drive-through and when I pull my phone out of the cup holder for the girl to scan my barcode. There is a 6 or so step process to get back to that barcode after unlocking.

I don't know enough about the technology to say this for sure, but could Apple perhaps be using their Bluetooth Low Energy/iBeacon tech? And if so, I'd assume this to be using significantly less battery power to implement a feature like this?